November 30, 2016

If there is one event parents shouldn't miss this Christmas season, it would be Junior Preneur at Pioneer St Market where kids for the following reasons:

a. EARN - Kids do actual work thru manning their own

b. SAVE - Kids open a bank account from our partner banks after the day work and deposit part of his earnings as his savings

C. SHARE - Kids donate to our partner foundation

D. LEARN – Kids participate on workshop activities such as: Cooking, Music, Academics and Sports.
There is an estimated audience of 1,500 who we have invited from several schools, parent groups, religious organization and other private clubs. Proceeds of the event will be donated to James Mackay Foundation for Philippine National School of the Blind. The event will be attended by known Celebrities, Basketball players, personalities with their families.

Junior Preneur is happening this December 4th, 2016 at The Pioneer St Market corner Pioneer Street and Reliance (infront of TV5) Mandaluyong, Pasig.

Kids as young as 4 years old will experience a full day of selling exercise where they will learn the value and importance of money. The organization behind Junior Preneur, founded by Mother Entrepreneurs Cherry S. Genato and Mafae Yunon - Belasco, Bb.Pilipinas -World 2003, aims to increase financial literacy in the Philippines by introducing the concept of business thru a 1-day program designed to teach kids how to earn money thru hard work, save earnings and share earnings to less fortunate children. As a culminating activity, the kids will be awarded with Business Certificates to make this day more symbolic for them.

As treat to kids, Junior Preneur will have their usual WORKSHOP SESSIONS hosted by Linuxprovi8, Global Leaders International School, Mafae Management and BUSA Academy.

November 29, 2016

It's kind of sad but I have to admit that cancer runs in our blood. I've lost cousins due to breast cancer, and an uncle to lung cancer. That is why it is my advocacy to promote and help talks and events about any type of cancer awareness.

Last week at Diamond Hotel, Merck had a talk Hope From Within - A Lung Cancer Awareness. Hope From Within is envisioned to bring together key stakeholders in patient support not just for lung cancer patients but eventually, for patients of other malignancies where immunotherapy will eventually be applicable.

“We entitled our advocacy ‘Hope From Within’ because truly, getting well and overcoming any disease starts with optimism from the patient,” explains Dr. Beaver Tamesis, managing director of MSD in the Philippines.

Dr. Veaver Tamesis, MSD President and Managing Director, welcome remarks for Hope from Within Media Conference

“As with any other type of malignancy, patient support that addresses physical, mental and emotional well-being is vital. Stakeholders that contribute to this holistic support system start with immediate family and community members, extending to friends and even co-workers. Social integration, positive emotional support and physical care are just some of the needs that these primary stakeholders provide to patients. The government may also play an important role in terms of providing potential financial assistance especially for patients in marginalized sectors of society, toward an otherwise costly treatment regimen. We have found that financial cost of treating cancer is actually the most pressing burden of the disease”, according to Maria Fatima “Girlie” Garcia-Lorenzo, president of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO).

Maria Fatima “Girlie” Garcia-Lorenzo, president of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO)

In the Philippines, lung cancer similarly remains to be one of the top malignancies that cause death among Filipinos. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 lives are lost to the disease every year. According to the Department of Health (DOH), smoking accounts for as much as 85 percent of lung cancer deaths in the country. However, while it has been long held that smoking is the highest risk factor for developing lung cancer, the disease has also been occurring substantially among non-smokers.

Most importantly, it is the patient’s doctor who plays a key role in the support system—first providing the diagnosis and prognosis, and prescribing the best treatment options to manage and even hopefully overcome the disease.

Dr. Jorge Ignacio, Chairman, UP-PGH Cancer Institute

For patients with lung cancer in particular, recent developments in medicine have provided a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Immunotherapy has already proven to be a successful first-line treatment for lung cancer, specifically the most common non-small-cell type, and this means not having to face the side effects brought about by the therapeutic standard of chemotherapy. Immunotherapy or biologic therapy involves innovative medicine that slows or stops cancer cells from growing, thereby preventing it from spreading to other areas of the body. It also strengthens the body’s immune system to help it work better in destroying these cancer cells. With such life-changing promise of immunotherapy, global immuno-oncology clinical development leader MSD in the Philippines has spearheaded a movement to provide renewed hope for lung cancer sufferers—that there is a cure for their condition. “With the innovation of immunotherapy and its initial success in battling diseases such as lung cancer, we are helping hundreds of thousands of cancer patients face their condition better and be inspired that yes, there is hope for a cure,” adds Dr. Corazon Ngelangel, president of the Philippine Cancer Society.

November 28, 2016

My family, the #Mendiolables, likes to do things together like grocey, shopping and even car washing. Last week, as we had the car washed at Dapitan 55 in Banawe, we tried the newly opened Garage Cafe.

Why we like the place? First, we can see our car while being washed. Second, my boys likes that they were able to play NBA 2017 while waiting for the food to be served. Lastly and most importantly, the Asian/Chinese food they served is delicious as well as affordable.

November 27, 2016

It's always a happy gathering when mothers come together to celebrate their personal advocacy of wellness just like what happened yesterday at Marco Polo Ortigas, where different aspects of motherhood—Baby, Family/Household, and Personal Wellness—were openly discussed by celebrity mom guests Denise Laurel, Nikka Martinez-Garcia, and host Issa Litton.

Celebrity mothers, mommy bloggers and special guests were present during the launch of Wellness Moms by Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket. The event was apltly called Wellness Moms Movement because it is a movement of change by mothers rallying as one for a better and healthier lifestyle.

Also, to further showcase the unity of this movement, a special Moms for Wellness mosaic wall made up of photos of different moms around the country was also revealed. Aside from P&G, Robinsons Supermarket, who has always supported the wellness movement, has proven that two is better than one when it comes to progress and change. This mutual undertaking paved the way for a solid partnership, which was also officially revealed last Thursday through the Wellness Moms promo! From now on, whenever one buys three of the participating Wellness Moms products (Safeguard, Joy Antibac, Ariel Power Gel, Downy Baby Gentle, Oral-B, Pampers, or Vicks Baby Rub) at any Robinsons Supermarket, he/she will instantly receive Robinsons Supermarket GC’s worth 50 pesos!

About Procter and Gamble:

P and G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, AmbiPur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®,Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Joy®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Safeguard®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.

Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

November 26, 2016

Going to The Maya Kitchen to participate or watch cooking and baking demo has always been a fun learning experience. Last week's Healthy Juice and Sandwich at The Maya Kitchen with Chef Chari Cano is another event that was worth spending my special Saturday.

For more information and schedule of cooking and baking demos, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mailcontactus@themayakitchen.com

November 25, 2016

I'm familiar with insurance and its different types because my whole family is insured in life, non-life and variables. It's my first time though to attend and be familiar with Pru Life UK as I attended their #RelationshipIndex Event at Dusit Thani Hotel early this morning.

The learning session was made even better with the presence of host Tonipet Gaba. I'm happy he still remembered me even if it was years ago when I guested at his Poptalk show.

To get a better understanding of Relationship Index, sharing below the press release provided by the company.

The 2016 Pru Life UK Relationship Index measures, via a numerical score, how satisfied people are with their primary relationships and what can be done to improve them. Primary relationships include partners, children, family, and friends.

In the Philippines, the Pru Life UK Relationship Index satisfaction score is 79/100. This means on an average, Filipinos’ primary relationships fulfill 79% of their desired relationship needs, the second highest in Asia.

Respondents of the study said that they appreciate partners who enjoy doing things together (84%), respect their individuality (84%), are honest with them (82%), make each other laugh and smile (79%), and are easy to get along with (78%).

Filipinos also enjoy strong ties with their children, with a relationship score of 59/100, the highest in Asia. The average score for parents is 52/100, while the tally for best friends is 50/100. Colleagues, however, score just 27/100, although almost two-thirds (64%) of working Filipinos said some of their work colleagues are among their best friends.

Pru Life UK Chief Executive Officer and President Antonio “Jumbing” De Rosas said the Pru Life UK Relationship Index provides a snapshot of the health of relationships in the Philippines, highlighting the areas that contribute to happiness and those that require attention.

“Relationships are at the heart of our business. We know our customers buy our products to protect the people and relationships they care most about. We also know that good relationships are crucial to our happiness and good health. Through the Pru Life UK Relationship Index, we want to help Filipinos understand their relationships better so they can make them more rewarding,” De Rosas explained.

Pru Life UK Chief Executive Officer and President Antonio “Jumbing” De Rosas

He added, “The findings from the research are both cause for celebration and concern. Celebration in that we Filipinos value relationships grounded on important attributes such as partnership, companionship, respect, and honesty. However, gaps are also present in the level of relationship satisfaction with family demands, financial uncertainty, and technology causing rising tension and stress.”

The highs and lows of relationships with partners

The 2016 Pru Life UK Relationship Index indicates that Filipinos express their love for each other more than anyone else in Asia. 87% tell their partners “I love you” once a week; 68% say so every day. Filipinos are also most likely in the region (87%) to share intimate moments with their partners. They are the most likely in the region to laugh with their partners as well; 89% do so at least once a week.

While Filipino couples often share laughter, kisses, and share intimate moments, they are quite likely to become angry. 35% said they argue with their partners at least once a week, the highest in the region. Money is the most likely source of arguments, with 46% of couples saying they argue about this. Among others, couples argue about who makes financial decisions and who controls everyday spending. Almost half (48%) of married men say they make most of the big financial decisions, but only 13% of married women agree with them. As for the day-today spending, 57% of women say that they themselves control day-to-day spending for the couple, but only 34% of men agree.

Next to money, technology is likely to be impinging upon relationships: 41% argue about lack of attention and 37% about spending too much time on the phone or computer.

Banking on us

When it comes to finances, Filipino adults are generous with each other. They are highly likely to provide mutual financial support, with almost all adults providing some financial support to at least one other person. Filipinos are also highly likely to rely on their family for emergency support: 80% think that their parents will provide for them in case of emergencies, while 67% say that other family members would do so.

Meanwhile, married couples in the Philippines are likely to be closely involved with each other’s finances. More than three-quarters (76%) plan their finances together, and 84% often talk about their future plans.

Among relatives, Filipinos want their relatives to provide a combination of the support that they get from their parents and also the companionship they seek from partners and children.

Good relationships with children

Filipino parents have the highest relationship score with children (59/100) than any other country in the region. Filipino parents love to dispense advice to their children - 90% of parents say they give their children some advice at least once a week. As they give advice, 43% of Filipino parents think it is important that their children listen to what they are saying, the highest in the region.

Parents place a lot of emphasis on companionship with their children and are the most likely in the region to think it’s important that they enjoy things together with their children (75%). In fact, Filipino parents enjoy being around their children and interacting with them. 85% said their children make them laugh and smile; 85% said their children express love for them; 79% enjoy doing things together; and 76% frequently interact with each other. As part of their interactions with their children and as an integral part of their children’s growth, Filipino parents are also highly involved in helping their children in education, 87% of whom say they help their children in education every week,.

Digital divide

Amid the stress of city life, the digital revolution has impacted relationships in the Philippines, where partners and parents often compete with smart phones for love and attention. For instance, 37% of couples cite time spent on phones or computers as a reason for arguing, and 24% said that their partners sometimes prefer using their phones to being intimate with them. Because of these concerns, many are prepared to forego technology, with 94% of the respondents saying that they would consider giving up technology for one day just so they can spend more time with other people.

“Round-the-clock connections provided technology advancements, and smart devices have intruded into our personal spaces. We are often distracted by phones and computers, to the extent that we sometimes fail to be present in the company of our families and friends. We need to pause every now and strengthen the relationships that really matter,” concludes De Rosas.

November 24, 2016

Today at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Nippon Paint (Coatings) Philippines honors the top architecture and interior design students who prevailed in the prestigious Asia Young Designer Award (AYDA) competition.

With 1,200 submissions this year, coming from 27 schools from all over the country, with the theme,“Be Bold, Be Free, Be You.” the renowned competition is once again recognizing the youth’s vital role in shaping the future of design and in addressing the changing needs of a continuously evolving world. The Gold winners of AYDA will represent the Philippines to be on the running for the competition’s regional Platinum Award to be held in Jogjakarta, Indonesia next year.

AYDA was crafted with the single aim of nurturing the next generation of designers to produce good, enduring, and innovative designs that enable efficiency and improve the way people live, now and in the future. It is tailored to inspire young architects and interior designers to produce new and refreshing concepts that encapsulate boldness, freedom and originality. This challenges the designers to explore, propel, and exceed the boundaries of design as they attempt to transform their ideas into bold and impactful masterworks without losing the very essence which makes their designs unique to themselves.

The judges in the annual competition are reputable and renowned architects and interior designers in the industry, who keenly filtered through each submission to select the most creative and innovative designs for each category, while also providing participants necessary feedback and advice.

For the Architecture Category, the brightest upcoming architects are lauded for their phenomenal structures that exhibit a one-of-a-kind spin in solving familiar day-to-day problems. Meanwhile, winners in the Interior Design Category are recognized for their consideration of social, economic, and cultural values in transforming spaces and the lives of the people who move in them.

The criteria also include assessing the environmental impact of the design's materials, maintenance, energy usage, water and waste management, as well as the creative use of colour through Nippon Paint products.

AYDA grand prize winners will receive a P50, 000 cash prize, as well as a 6-month internship with top architectural firm Aidea, Inc. or top interior design firm Lor Calma & Partners. The Gold winners will also be given the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of design, network with like-minded peers, and to ultimately compete for the regional Platinum award in the AYDA Regional Learning Programme, which will be held in Jogjakarta, Indonesia early next year.

First launched in 2008 in Malaysia as the Nippon Paint Young Designer Award, the competition was rebranded as Asia Young Designer Award this year to signify its growing influence and scale in the Asian region.

The competition saw an uptrend in submissions through the years as it continued to gather the best and the brightest talent from all over the region. From its debut with 87 entries solely from Malaysia, the competition has grown to collect over 3,500 entries from last year across 12 different countries, namely the Philippines, Singapore, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, China, Japan, Hong Kong its place of origin Malaysia. The design tilt was first opened in the Philippines in 2014.

In addition, the expansion and re-launching of the competition led Nippon Paint to introduce the AYDA XChange – a speaker platform that features past winners and renowned international designers who will share their thoughts and journey within the architecture and interior design industries through focused group discussions and forums.

For Nippon Paint, the theme, “Be Bold. Be Free. Be You.” reflects its promise of putting innovation and peoples’ needs at the heart of the company’s products and operations. “Being bold, unique, and steadfast in our ideals and values are what set us apart over a hundred years ago, and today it is no different. Innovation is key to everything we do and the way we work is grounded on working closely with our stakeholders,” concluded Goh.

AYDA 2016 is supported by the Council of Interior Design Educators, the Council of Deans and Heads of Architectural Schools in the Philippines (CODHASP), Lor Calma & Partners, Aidea Inc., the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, the United Architects of the Philippines, LBC, and SM Development Corporation.

Gladys Goh, Nippon Paint Malaysia Group General Manager made her opening remarks as she welcomed the guests and students who continuously supported the design competition and shared her positive impression on the successful turnout of entries this year in the Philippines

Gold winners of the Asia Young Designer Award. (Left) Noelle Samantha Bernardo from De La Salle University - College of St. Benilde, Gold winner in the Interior Design category and (Right) Maria Rebecca Plaza from National University, Gold winner in the Architecture category

Photo shows (leftmost) Ms. Gladys Goh, Nippon Paint Malaysia Group General Manager and (rightmost) Mr. Yaw Seng Heng, Nippon Paint Malaysia Group Managing Director with Asia Young Designer Award supporting partners from United Architects of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, Council of Interior Design Educators, Council of Deans & Heads of Architecture Schools in the Philippines

About Nippon Paint (Coatings) Philippines:

Nippon Paint (Coatings) Philippines is part of the Nippon Paint Group, which is currently Asia’s No. 1 coatings manufacturer spanning 15 countries, and built on a heritage of over 130 years dating back to 1881 in Japan. In the Philippines, the company has been operating since 2014 with a manufacturing plant in Light Industry and Science Park 1 in Cabuyao, Laguna.

The Nippon Paint Group places strong emphasis in Research and Development (R&D) activities, which remains a core priority to its success in product innovation. As a global leader in coating technologies with a database of more than 10,000 paint formulations, Nippon Paint prides itself in being a Total Coating Solutions provider with a multi-segment portfolio of offerings ranging from Architectural, Automotive, Industrial, Protective to Marine coatings.

The Group has been awarded the Best Company for Leadership in Paint Technology Asia by IAIR in 2014. The Group has also won consumer choice awards such as the Reader’s Digest Asia Trusted Brand Awards 2016 where it placed Gold in the Paints category. In its concerted effort to champion sustainability towards a greener footprint, the Group has been recognized with several Green Excellence Awards by Frost & Sullivan.

John and I have travelled other countries when we were young. When we had our children, we decided to have Julia, Rafael and Juan travel the Philippines before exploring other countries so they can see how rich and beautiful our mother land is.

My family have been to Sagada, Baler, Baguio, Tagaytay, Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Bataan and Ilocos, to name a few. Our trips to these provinces brought joy and memories that I’m pretty sure my kids will remember.

Next on our list is Bohol, Palawan and Batanes. In Bohol, we plan to stay in Bohol Beach Club. I have not decided yet what hotel to stay in in Palawan. What’s sure is that we will have a trip to the Underground River, Tubbataha Reef and all the other tourist spots. Since Palawan is popular, I’ll make sure to look for accommodations in advance using booking sites like Traveloka. This website is easy to use and there are no hidden charges, so what you book is what you pay.

I have also been wanting to see three provinces where my family and friends live, namely, Tacloban, Malaybalay, Bukidnon. and Davao.

In Tacloban I will be staying with my friend Coke Young Go. Coke and her family runs a mini hotel in Tacloban. They also own the popular Chew Love Restaurant, where both locals and tourists love to eat. A little background, Coke and I met in 2009 in Manila where we were both awarded as one on The 10 Most Beautiful by a brand that endorses healthy eating.

With Coke (in white) and make up artists. Photo taken 2009 for the magazine shoot.

I’m definitely going to have a grand time in Malaybalay, Bukidnon as I will visiting my Aunt Vivian and my friend, Ate Lou. I would like to see the beautiful place and the flowers that Aunt Vivian carefully and lovingly tends to every day. Ate Lou owns a farm in Bukidnon where she grows cashew, banana, mango, and all other vegetables and fruits.

Aunt Vivian's Pathway. Photo grabbed with permission from her FB

Ate Lou's farm. Photo grabbed with permission from her FB

Since I have plenty of friends and relatives who live in Davao, we will definitely booking at Marco Polo so there won’t be jealousy among them (wink!). We will just visit them all to come over for coffee and dinner at the hotel.

There's just so many travel plans I have with my family by next year. It's just that traveling entails preparation and of course budget. To fully enjoy a family travel, a mom like me must have good coordination and planning to ensure that all trips turns out fun and comfortable.

November 23, 2016

Vivo unveiled its newest ambassador last night at Solaire and it's no other than popular NBA superstar Stephen Curry! Along with it, Vivo has just launched in the Philippines its latest smartphone with a large camera sensor Filipino selfie addicts called Vivo 5. The Vivo V5 is a 5.5-inch Android that captures perfect selfies at an affordable price of just Php 12,990!

I didn't win any Vivo phone but it was great to see CDO, Bacolod, Cebu and Mindanao Bloggers at the event!